Uncurling device and gauge for sewing machines



July 1936- w. H. PFEIFFER 2,048,290

UNCURLING DEVICE AND GAUGE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 16, 1934 properly directed to lthe, f ee Patented July 21, 1936 The invention relates to new' anduseful i i i ev m ni n a a r Eli R Q-. new n devicefordirecting fabijic sectio to a stitching mechanism; andmore p 0111 g' l e s j q pe chine wherein theLfa-bric' sections to be sitched: are supported by feed Wheels" tical axes." f In h uncurling d vic new. 1. ets 'iar e sections as they pass through the guiding nd between the I center plat mounted uncurlingfmerri a with. The operator supports an me? sections to the uncurlingde ingfand lowering 1 the sain ejjreg extent the 'height bfthefabric leave the iuncurlingflo g'uiding idev-i mounted guide "pins c riedby *th' e d th qu O e a anduncurling ;devices have eeii used ing-ftheupward movemeri These'pms servejas a g mining the-'height'ofjth leave-the uncurling dev es so t 'Aflbbjec't orthepre at; a swel -is fl e W of 'th'efabri'c guidi'n uncurling devices and which may be adjusted to difierent set positions so that the extent to which the fabric sections project above the feed wheels may be varied, if desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device, of the character referred to, wherein the gauging means is located as close as possible to the stitching point and to the point of engagement of the fabric sections by the feed wheels so that the fabric sections can be fed to the stitching mechanism before they tend to curl up again.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a side view of a combined uncurling device and gauge embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the fabric guiding and uncurling device broken away at one sideso as to show the shaping of the center plate;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a View partly in plan and partly in section taken from a point above the fabric sections, and showing the relation of the gauging member to the feed wheels and stitching mechanism of the sewing machine.

The invention is directed to a combined uncurling and gauging device for directing fabric ffen-Bhil d Machine m a hi a ail u floisaeof phia, Pa., assignor to sections to the stitching mechanism whereby the edges of the fabric sections are joined andf coy eredby over edging'stitches. The fabric sec-.- tions are supportedv by feed wheels or feed cups which are illustrated diagrammatically in Fig, 5. 4 of the drawingat l and 2. The needle is indie at e 3 d l op r hi h wn r t sltt erewith is indicated at 4, Thestitch finger over.

which the stitches are fo rmed is indicatedat 5,

T st O m h n e omm n. a atite 10 their description thereof is not thought necessary, The fabric sectionswhichare indicated at F and F a e, support d by h eed hee s. o at ne e e; portions thereof project above the feed wheels and the needle passes though saidj edge eer vnslad cen h 'ed e te mihelonpe r en a esihe eed r d'lop ndl h n m v s aapc'sitiq ia h tb r de o he ebr qsece tiotswhie e. it 12 is p ese t d. fo he. edle e l r. 1. 1 2 'lihi g pe ma ne. sp r fiq a vadapt d forjstitching knitted fabrics wherein the edge portions when they are cut for the shapingof'the garment that is tobe produced will'curl. It is es ntial to provide a device for uncurlingand imggqriingand guiding device consists {of a center plate li-which' is relatively-thinand lies between the iterates sections; 'The-fabric-SeCtiOns are placed by the operator in a vertical position with this center plate between the two fabric sections. The uncurling devices are indicated at I and 8 in the drawing. The uncurling device 1 is mounted on a pivot pin 9 carried by projecting lugs I0, H] which are formed as a part of a support I l. The center plate 6 is attached to this support H, or may be made an integral part thereof. It is essential, however, that this center plate shall be relatively thin so that the fabric sections will be close to each other as they pass through this uncurling and guiding device. The uncurling device is provided with a curved upper face l2 which leads to a second curved face l3. This curved face serves as a means for unrolling the curled edge of the fabric section. The uncurling and guiding device 8 is carried by a pivot pin I4 d1 ect ing the fabric sections. combined The center plate 6 is cut away at the rear face thereof as indicatedat l8. Located in this cutaway portion is a gauge member l9. Said gauge member I9 is in the form of a plate, and this plate is disposed in a plane at right angles to the path of travel of the fabric sections through the uncurlingdevice. The lower edge of this plate is the guiding or gauging edge of the plate. The plate is attached to the support I l by a screw 20 which passes through a slot in the plate and is threaded into said support. This provides a means whereby the plate may be adjusted verti-,

cal to different set positions. It is noted that the plate is bent so as to lie immediately in rear of the center plate and the uncurling devices so that it contacts with the edges of the fabric sections for gauging the position thereof while the edges of the fabric sections are under control and supported by said uncurling devices.

The fabric sections are placed by the operator against the center plate and beneath the uncurling devices. These uncurling devices grip the fabricsections lightly, but support the fabric sec-' tions,v due to the fact that the edges which are being uncurled overlie the curved edge portions l2 of said uncurling devices. The operator also supports the fabric sections and directs said sec- 7 tions to the uncurling and guiding device; The

. purpose of the gauge member I9 is to regulate the height of the fabric sections as they leave the uncurling device. It is essential that these fabric 7 sections shall be maintained at the vertical height which is desired for the most efiicient covering of the edges of the fabric sections by the stitching mechanism. The uncurling device does not posie tively hold the fabric sections raised; "This is accomplished by the operator in the feeding of the fabric sections to said uncurling and guiding device. When the gauge for determining the height ofv the fabric sections is placed all the way to the rear ofv the uncurling device, the operator has a greater range of movement wherein the fabric sections may-be lifted and then lowered in order to bring them to the proper level. Furthermore, by. placing this gauging member all the way to the rear of-the uncurling devices, itis brought nearer to the stitch finger and the needle. After the fabric'sections leave the gauging member,

some;

there are no parts of the uncurling device which contact therewith to disturb the movement of the edges in a direct line beneath the stitch finger to the needle. By mounting this gauge member so that it can be vertically adjusted to different set positions, the height of the fabric sections relative to the'feed wheels may be varied, and thus the extent to which the fabric sections project above the feed wheels varied. This enables the operator to obtain just the desired depth of stitch through the edge portions or the distance between where the needle punctures the fabric sections and the edges thereof.

It is obvious that changes in the shaping of the gauging member and the manner of mount-a ing the same may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- V ,1. In a sewing machine, a combined guide and gauge for uncurling and directing fabric sections including a vertically disposed center plate, yieldingly mounted uncurling and guiding devices disposed at. opposite sides of said center plate, and a gauge member disposed immediately in rear of said center plate and said uncurling and guiding devices for contacting with the edges of the fabric sections while said fabric sections are under the control of the uncurling and guiding devices for gauging the position of the fabric sections.

2. In a sewing machine, a combined guide and gauge for uncurling and directing fabric sections including a vertically disposed center plate, yieldingly mounted uncurling and guiding devices disposed at opposite sides of said center plate, a gauge member disposed immediately in rear of said center plate and said uncurling and guiding devices for contacting with the edges of the fabric sections while said fabric sections are under the control of the uncurling and guiding devices for gauging the position of the fabric sections, and means for supporting said gauge member whereby it may be adjusted vertically to diiferent set positions relative to the devices for uncurling H. PFEIFFER. 

